Transom-lifter



- (No Model.)

C. E. STELLER.

TRANSOM LIPTER.

No. 317,036. Patented May '5, 1885.

NITED STATES CHARLES E. STELLER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TRANSOIVl-Ll FTE R.

VSPIlCIFICAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,036, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed January 2l, i835. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLEs E. STELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukeefand State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transom-Lifts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention 'relates to improvements in transom lifts and locks, and pertains to the construction of the lifting-bar, the devices for locking it at its several places of adjustment, and to the construction of the supporting guideways by which the lifting-bar is attached to the side of the doorway.

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my device attached to the transom and doorway. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my invention removed from the door and transom. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the retaining keepers by which the lifting rod is held in place. Fig. 4 represents a front view of the retaining-keepers and the screw for locking thelifting-rod at the desired places of adjustment. Fig. 5 is a side view, part in sec tion, of the lifting-rod and device for locking it. f

Like parts are represented by the same reference-letters throughout the several views.

A is the transom, which is attached at the upper edge to the doorway.

B is the transom-arm. rlhe arm Bis made of a single piece of flat metal which is set into and secured by screws to the end of the transom.

C is the lifting-bar, which is also formed of a single piece of flat metal which is arranged edgewise to the door-frame and transom, so that the strain of lifting the transom is brought to bear against the edge of the bar, whereby it is obvious that the bar so formed and so arranged is capable of supporting a much heavier weight in proportion to its heft than the ordinary round rods heretofore used. The lifting-bar C is retained edgewise in the required position by the keepers D and E. The keeper D is provided with vertically-arranged fastening-plates a, horizontal rod-bearing b, retaining-lugs c c, and bracket d, having open way g for the reception and passage of the lifting 'bar. The opening g, formed in the bracket d, is made for convenience inmolding, and also to permit the upper joint of the lifting-bar to be passed through it preparatory to being attached to the'door-frame.

It is obvious that by the peculiar construction of the keepers they are adapted to perguiding, and retaining the lifting-bar, and they are also by such form adapted to be readily formed by casting without additional labor. The lower keepers, E E, are formed to closely t thelifting-bar, so as to properly guide the same, and being open at their base they permit the lifting-bar C to be readily inserted. The liftingbar C is locked at any desired point of adjustment by the set-screw F, which is located midway between the lower keepers, E E, and is interposed between the lifting-bar O and the door-frame A. The thread of the screw F operates in a nut or socket, F', which is inserted in the front surface of the door-frame, and is provided with a fastening-plate, a', through which small screws are inserted into the door-frame at d d, to prevent said nut from turning with the adjusting-screw. The adjusting-screw vF is provided with radial arms b', by which it is turned when fastening or releasing the liftingbar. The screw F serves as a supportingbearing to the lifting-rod, and prevents it from coming in contact with the door-frame. When the set-screw is turned, outward it bears against the inner edge of the lifting-bar, whereby the outer edge of the lifting-bar is pressed against theinner surface of the keepers. The distance between the keepers E E is such as to permit of easy access to the adjusting-screw. By an inverse movement of the adjustingscrew the lifting-bar G is released..

In transom-lifts as heretofore constructed the lifting-bar has been locked by contact of 100 the point of the screw with the convex surface of the lifting-rod. y

By my improvement it is obvious that I have so increased the bearingsurface of the 6 form the threefold purpose of supporting. 75

locking device as to rigidly retain the liftingbar at any desired point of adjustment solely by the frictional contact of the bearing-surfaces without the aid of notches or depressions in the surface of the lifting-bar. The arms b of the set-screw are of such length as to be easily grasped when desired to adjust the rod, and, owing to the leverage thus obtained upon the set-screw, it is very easily turned, and but slight power is required to permanently lock the heaviest transom either closed or at any point of adjustment. The upper end of the bar G is provided with a hole, J, for the reception of a hook, O, on one end ofthe link K. The hook O upon the opposite end of the link K engages in the hole M of the lifting-arm B.

It will be seen that by the simplicity of the construction of the lifting-bar and the link I am enabled to attach them to each other,withV out nuts or screws, simply by inserting the hooks through the holes in the upper end of the lifting-bar and transom-arm, thus materially reducing the labor of attaching the lift; also that the single parts of the device may be packed and shipped separately, and when put up all the parts, includingV the Vkeepers and transom-arm, may be readily connected without the aid of skilled labor. All the parts are also made reversible, and may be attached to either side of the transom.

Onvtransoms suspended by hinges at their upper edges the lifting-bar C projects above the upper keeper, D, and in order to resist the backward pressure upon the upper end of the lifting-bar, which is caused by the gravity of the transom, I preferablyinterpose between said lifting-bar and the door-frame the guideway-bar N, having lugs g', which serve as a bearing along which the upper end ofthe lifting-bar C moves, and against which it is caused to bear slightly as the transom is opened and closed. Vith transoms centrally pivoted the guideway N is not required, as the lifting-bar thus formed is sufficiently rigid to operate it without bending. The lower end of the iifting-bar is provided with any suitably -formed handle; but I prefer the form shown in Fig.

2, consisting of the rectangular pieces B B, which are riveted to the respective flat surfaces of the lifting-bar.l By this form of lift, u

y with oneoraiiore retaining-keepers, of ascrew interposed between said bar and said doorframe `and operating in a nut or socket set into said frame beneath said bar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the guide-bearing N,interposed between the upper end of thelifting-bar and the door-frame, of the bar-retaining lugs g', as set forth.

4L. The combination, with the lifting-bar of a transom-lift, of one or more keepers, D, having vertical fastening-plates a, horizontal rodbearings b, and brackets d, provided withopening g, as set forth.

5. In a transom-lift, the combination, with the lifting-rod C, of two or more retainingkeepers, E, open at their base, screw F, and one or more bearings-interposed between said lifting-rod and the casing, said screw F and said bearings serving as a rear support to the lifting-rod Within said open keepers, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. STELLER.

Vitnesses:

JAs. B. ERwrN, C. T. BENEDIOT. 

